Electric lantern.



No. 869,550. PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907. F. P. GOBHAM.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1907.

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PATENTED OCT. 29I 1907.

F. P. GOBHAM.

ELBGTRIG LANTERN.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3. 1907.

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WfZ/V gwbum UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICKI. OOBHAM, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGIOR ()F ONE-HALF TO FREDERICK E. WINDSOR AND ONEJ'IALF TO LEWIS SCHMUIZ, OF WARREN,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK P. Commit, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown. in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lanterns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention and said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved electric railway car signal and hand lantern. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bottom of the lantern detached. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lamp socket detached. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view representing the relations of the lamp reflector and lens.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and cheap yet powerful lantern for use particularly in connection with electric cars, which may be attached to the car body and used as a 'signal or rear light, and in case of an accident may be detached from the car and used in the hand for signaling purposes or to throw light above, under or around the car to assist in making repairs or for any other purposes for which a light may be desired.

I In carrying out my invention I make alamp body A, preferably of cylindrical shape having a permanent top a and a removable bottom a, the latter being provided with an annular flange a adapted to slip over the lower portion of the lamp body, and provided with bayonet .slots a to engage pins a on the body A to facilitate its quick removal, and yet secure the bottom in position, and I also provide the bottom with a latch a, pivoted to flange a (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4) having a shoulder a to engage one of the pins a and prevent the accidental disengagement of the bottom. The body A is also provided with means for attaching it to a car, or other support, in this instance a metal strap a constructed to slip over a bracket secured to the supporting part. The body A is also provided on its front side opposite the strap a with a circular hood A of usual form to support in vertical position a high power lens A In order to give the fullest possible reflection of the light rays which may be emitted within the body A, I prefer to have its entire interior vertically disposed surface bright, which may be accomplished by plating the interior surface of the body A with nickel or other suitable metal and burnishing the same, but I prefer to place within the body A a sheet. A of metal curved to fit within the body of the lamp and having its inner surface burnished and preferably plated ith nickel or other metal taking a high polish. This reflecting sheet A maybe slipped out of the body A for the purpose of polishing it when desired.

The bottom a is provided with means for holding an clcctric lamp, of the inc-alnlcsccnt typc, and permitting the lamp to be rotated will in such holding means. In ti is instance 1 lave shown the bottom (1 provided with brackets u pcrmancntly sccurcd thcrcto as by riveting or otherwise, and sup}')orting a divided ring clamp a, the ends of which are pro vidcd with a clamping screw a to tighten it upon a lamp socket, B, of ordinary construction, shown in detail in Fig. 5, so as to hold tle socket which cxtcuds partly within and partly without tlic lantern body, by frictional contact firmly in position, but permitting the Socket to be turned when necessary to secure the proper position of the lamp.

C represents the lamp proper which is screwed into the socket B in the usual manner, and is provided with a reflector permanently applied thereto. The globe of the lamp is preferably of substantially spherical form and about one half of the globe is coated with suitable mirroring material, and backed as at c by the well known proccsscs used in making mirrors, the materials being applied directly to the globe of the lamp, and producing a concave reflector innncdiatcly in rear of the filament of the lamp. After the lamp is inserted in the lamp socket, the bottom a is applied to the lamp, and the socket I3 is turned so as to bring the reflecting portion c at the rear of the lamp, and in line with the lens A The socket B is provided with the usual connecting insulating corded wire I), of any desired length, terminating in a suitable plug or connector (not shown) by means of which. connection may be made with the wiring of the car for supplying light or other suitable source of elcctrical current.

It is obvious that the light from the lamp will be concentrated by the reflecting portion 0 of the globe, upon the lens, and thus a very intense light is given forth which will be projected a very coi'rsidcrable distance. The light emitted laterally will also be caught by the surface of the auxiliary reflector A and thus practically all the light rays of the lamp will be projected from the lantern.

When used with electric cars, this lamp is intended to be connected to any desired part of the car, and may be used as a rear, side or front signal light; if desired, or its use may be confined to emergency cases. In case of an accident the lantern may be removed and used in the hand as a signal lamp at considerable distance from the car, and may also be used to throw a strong light on top of or beneath or around the car to facilitate emergency repairs, etc.

It is important that the lamp socket B should be rotatively supported in the lantern, as the threading of the connecting portions of electric lamps which enters the socket is not absolutely un form and if the socket were rigidly supported a lamp might be screwed in and when in final position the reflecting portion might and very likely W0 uld not be in the proper position with respect to the lens. By my construction the correct position of the lamp is insured.

While this lantern is adapted particularly for use in connection with railway cars provided withielectric power for lighting it mayialso be used in other places, as around stations, in andlaround buildings, etc., Wherever its use is found convenient or desirable.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric lantern, the combination with the cylindrical main body open at the bottom, and provided at one side with a lens aperture and a lens fitted therein, of a removable bottom having an annular flange for em gaging the main body, and provided with a clamping ring rigidly secured thereto, for adjustably holding an incandescent lamp socket, said bottom being provided with an aperture below said socket, substantially as described.

2. In an electric lantern, the combination with the main body, of a removable bottom, provided with a cen tral aperture to permit the insertion of an electric lamp socket, a horizontal clamping ring located above said aperture, supports connected to said bottom, and to said clamping ring, and means for detachably securing said bottom to the main body of the lantern, substantially as described.

3. In an electric lantern, the combination with the cylindrical main body, provided With a lens aperture in one side, and a lens fitted in said aperture, of a curved reflector fitted Within said main body, in rear of said lens, a removable bottom for said main body provided with a central aperture for the passage of a lamp socket therethrough, a clamping ring located above said aperture, supports secured to said ring and to the main body, a lamp socket frictionally held by said ring and having portions extending through said aperture, and an incandescent electric lamp fitted in said socket, and having a portion of its globe provided with reflecting material, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature, in the pres ence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK P. COBHAM.

Witnesses M. LAYERN CLAPP G. H. WADE. 

